Various electronic assemblies may be subject to increased leakage current when a flux residue, utilized in a solder reflow process to attach electronic components to conductive traces formed on a substrate, remains present on the substrate of the electronic assemblies. For example, various surface mounted electronic components, e.g., varistors, are prone to relatively high leakage currents that result from an interaction between flux residues and a component body of the components. In order to reduce potential leakage currents, various manufacturers have utilized surface mount component bodies that include an outer glass passivation layer. In such components, the outer glass passivation layer prevents interaction between the component body and the flux that is utilized during attachment of the component to conductive traces formed on the substrate. Unfortunately, components that include an outer glass passivation layer tend to be more expensive than components that do not include an outer glass passivation layer and, as such, increase the cost of an associated electronic assembly.
What is needed is a technique for reducing leakage currents associated with surface mount components utilized in electronic assemblies.